Holitsch (Holíč, Holics), a town in Slovakia (formerly in Hungary) not far from the Moravian border, where a Hutterite Bruderhof was established in 1547 on the estate of a nobleman Peter Bakich de Lak. The brethren had sought refuge here from the unusually heavy persecutions in Moravia, and at first the manorial lord was well disposed to accept these brethren who were generally known as excellent farmers. But soon he changed his mind, mainly under the influence of the harsh mandates of King Ferdinand who would not tolerate "heretics" either in Moravia or in Hungary. Thus Bakich undertook severe and drastic measures against the brethren who were quite at a loss where to turn to. The <em>Chronicle</em> reports these events with these words, "They were driven from Moravia to Hungary, from Hungary to Moravia, from there to Austria, and again back to Moravia. In short, there was no place at all for the God-fearing people" (Chronik, 337). These persecutions lasted for five years (1548-1553). Afterwards the situation changed to the better, and from then on the brethren could enjoy relative peace in their Slovakian colonies.